Ancient Hymns from the Vedas - Taittriya Aranyaka - "Narayana Suktham" (Maha Narayana Upanishad)

Sridevi-Bhudevi Samedha Sri Satyanarayanaswamy (Maha Vishnu aka Vyuha Vasudevan) Seva @ Shangu Chakra Gadha Padmam - My Home Thirumaligai (Sanctum) during Kanya Purnima 2014. The accompanying Dasavathara Krithi in Raga Revathi is rendered by Sri T.M. Krishna. The Thirumaligai hosts Sriman Narayana with his Consorts Sridevi-Bhudevi, Sri Mahalakshmi , Sri Yoga Narasimha, Sri Lakshmi Narasimha, Sri Dolai Kannan (Bala Krishna), Sri Aandal, Sri Ram Parivar, Sri Ramanuja , Sri Manavalamamuni & Sri Satyanarayanaswamy. All Alangarams, Daily rituals (Thenkalai Nithyanusandhanam Sampradaya) and Kainkariyams are performed for the Lord including all auspicious events. Panchaparva Seva & Thirumanjanam (Holy Bath) is performed on Ekadesi, Amavasya, Purnima and when Revathi Star is in Ascendence. Narayana (Sanskrit: नारायण; nārāyaṇa; Kannada: ನಾರಾಯಣ; Telugu: నారాయణుడు; Tamil: நாராயணன்) or Narayan or Naraina is an important Sanskrit name for Vishnu, and in many contemporary vernaculars a common Indian name. Narayana is also identified as the original man, Purusha. The Puranas present divergent views on Narayana. In the Kurma Purana he is identified with Brahman and Krishna-Vishnu. Narayana is another name for Vishnu and appears as the 245th name in the Vishnu Sahasranama. Vishnu is always to be depicted holding the four attributes associated with him, being: 1.A conch shell or Shankha, named "Panchajanya", held by the upper left hand, which represents Vishnu's power to create and maintain the universe. 2.The chakra, a sharp-spinning discus-like weapon, named "Sudarshana", held by the upper right hand, which symbolizes the purified spiritualized mind. 3.A mace or Gada, named "Kaumodaki", held by the lower left hand, symbolizes Vishnu's divine power is the source all spiritual, mental and physical strength. 4.A lotus flower or Padma, held by the lower right hand, represents spiritual liberation, Divine perfection, purity and the unfolding of Spiritual consciousness within the individual. The Purusha Suktam, Sri Suktam and Narayana Suktam are among the most important Sanskrit hymns used in Puja and Yajna ceremonies. In learning these hymns students of Vedic ceremonies may discover that there are many versions of each of these three hymns. These alternative versions can be from different scriptures and endorsed by well respected Vedic lineages. The Narayana Sukta is, in a way, the mystical appendix to the Purusha Sukta of the Veda, the only difference between the Purusha Sukta and the Narayana Sukta being the divination of the Deity addressed by them. The Sri Sukta of the Veda is recited with benefit especially on Fridays, together with formal worship of the Goddess, for peace, plenty, and all-round prosperity. Lakshmi, who is usually identified as the Spouse of Vishnu, or Narayana, represents the glory and magnificence of God. Narayana and Lakshmi, actually, stand for Being and Becoming. The Creator in all His glory manifests Himself in the variety in creation. Hindu religious sources are classified as ``Sruti'' or ``Smrithi''. Sruti -- that which is heard -- is of the nature of divine revelation. We believe that the Vedas, hymns composed by seers and sages beginning as best as we can date them in 3000 BC, were sung under divine inspiration. This is why they are Sruti. These sages ``heard'' them as the voice of the Divine. Only two bodies of hymns are recognized as divinely composed. One being the Vedas, and the other, the Thiruvaaymozhi of Kaari Maaran Sadagopan, or Sri Nammaazhvaar, which are recognized as equivalent to the 4 Vedas in the Ubhaya Vedanta school, the Sri Vaishnava tradition. The six compositions of Kaliyan Neelan, or Sri Thirumangai Aazhvaar, are recognized as the 6 vedAngas. Ubhaya Vedanta refers to the twofold Vedanta, seen through the two eyes of the Sanskrit Upanishads and the Tamil 4000 Divya Prabandham. They are of paramount and equal authority to Sri Vaishnavas. The 90th suktham of the 10th mandala of Rig Veda Samhita, is the Purusha Suktham. The Vajasaneyi Samhita of the Shukla Yajur Vedam, the Taittriya Aranyaka of the Krishna Yajur Vedam, the Sama Veda, and the Atharvana Veda, also contain the Purusha Suktham with slight variations. The Purusha Suktam is one of the Pancha Suktams of the Sri Vaishnava sampradaya or tradition. The other four are the Narayana Suktam, Sri Suktam, Bhu Suktam, and the Nila Suktam. In South India, the Purusha Suktam, Vishnu Suktam, Sri Suktam, and Narayana Suktam are generally chanted together in paarayanam. The Sri Rudram, Purusha Suktam, Upanishads, the Gita, and the Vishnu Sahasra Naamam are also recommended for daily paarayanam -- chanting. Since the Purusha Suktam is seen in all Vedas, it is cited as the essence of all Srutis by Veda Vyasa in the Mahabharata. Saunaka, Apastamba, and Bodhayana have also written concerning the use of the Purusha Suktam.